U.S. District Judge James A. Beaty Jr. denied a motion to punish attorneys representing 38 current and former lacrosse players who have sued the school, the City of Durham and others.

Duke attorney James Donald Cowen said the players' attorneys violated rules of professional conduct by using a press conference and Web site to promote the lawsuit. The players' lawyer, Chuck Cooper, told the judge the players wanted to get their information out first.

None of the players was indicted. They claim they suffered emotional distress, however, when three of their teammates were falsely accused of sexually assaulting a stripper at a team party in 2006.

whocaresApr 16, 2008

All this is about money and publicity. These people were in no way harmed by their ordeal emotionally or otherwise. I think I should sue them for emotional distress from having to hear about this case over and over again.

Doctor DataclerkApr 16, 2008

If I were on the jury, I would raise the bar for kids who claim to have been injured and were only superficially harmed in this matter. In other words, unless you were defamed like the original three and the coach, I would not be in favor of shoveling out huge sums of money if you were simply on the team.

ranquickApr 16, 2008

Teach I do l ike your point and it is well taken.

miketroll3572Apr 16, 2008

Teach took the words out of my mouth: Never heard anything from Stripper Mangum, black panthers, or the other loud mouth woman that was always spouting her crud. If it were white folk the media would be HOUNDING them.

lovinlife2010Apr 16, 2008

And so it should be!!!

TimboApr 16, 2008

Cool. Duke knows they've lost this case and they're flopping around like a fish on the ground.

RaleighApr 16, 2008

what is the story with the coach?....he should be compensated too.

DontLikeTheSocialistObamaApr 16, 2008

Duke and the gang of 88 professors are going to pay big when this case is over.

gnew46Apr 15, 2008

Excellent point teach. I guess that those who practiced pre-emptive judgment in this case and went public with it, can't find it in their hearts to apologize, unless under duress, which is not a real apology.